forefather

American  

[fawr-fah-ther, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌfɑ ðər, ˈfoʊr- /

noun

1. an ancestor.

   Synonyms:

   forerunner, patriarch, progenitor, forebear

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forefather British  

/ ˈfɔːˌfɑːðə /

noun

1. an ancestor, esp a male

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Other Word Forms

• forefatherly adjective

Etymology

Origin of forefather

First recorded in 1250–1300, forefather is from the Middle English word forefader. See fore-, father

Example Sentences

"This younger generation of policy makers are much more transactional than their forefathers, there is greater competition for Saudi investment in the UK," he explained.

From BBC

Although their forefathers were seized from West and Central Africa centuries ago, the bond between African-Americans and their ancestral home has been a lasting one.

From BBC

“What is he?” murmurs one grey shadow of my forefathers to the other.

From The Wall Street Journal

Further back than our forefathers remember, and long before this land was named Ghana, a great river flowed from north to south, blessing those who lived along it with fish and crops.

From Literature

"The streets were so crowded that, as our forefathers said, you could hardly move."

From Barron's